Very Cold Halloween

It's Halloween morning! The little kids got up with eager anticipation, cause it's finally arrived! They got dressed in their costumes that they've carefully been gathering accessories for, excited that today they get to put on make up too! Sophi is a pirate. But the poor girl wasn't feeling well...

I told her she could stay home, but she didn't want to, she really didn't want to miss her program "Who would do my part?!?!" she asked me, as if staying home could even be an option!?!? NO! I like that commitment, Soph. Too bad you were sick on a fun day! And I was thinking if she stayed home then I wouldn't have to take the kids over to school for the program, oh well for me, haha. NOT that I don't want to support my kids! But I do go to the Halloween parades (and most programs and activities...) begrudgingly the majority of the time (Like last year, when we had a US program, and state float parade AND bike rodeo all the same day! ...about killed me)) Hope you feel better Soph! And I hope she makes it through the day.

Lily decided for her costume to be Mulan as a bride. She has a Mulan costume underneath and wore a robe that Ethan brought back from China. I said I'd paint her face white. We had white face paint but it rubbed off so easily that we decided to try the acrylic paints! It was a little overdone, but she was happy with it. So hey that's all that matters. I told her to turn her face and thought this picture was pretty fancy!!

Lily, you would make a lovely Chinese bride. And I was proud to deliver on her expectations, yay.

I ran Lily over for Safety Patrol, and then came home in time to be able to surprise Sophi and Natalie with a ride to the bus stop. I didn't get a picture of Natalie today beside this one. She was Jasmine.

Sophi was trying to walk in my high heel boots, so I was glad to be able to take her to the bus stop. And then I intended to go get the boys ready to go over to school for the parade. I made it home, but didn't make it to the parade. I was glad that the girls didn't say anything about me missing. I did make it over an hour later for Sophi's program. I think it worked out great and that I might let them know from here on out that I won't make it to the parade. I take pictures of them at home anyway, so I don't need to go to the parade. So yay, a new policy on tradition that makes my life easier! One thing I don't like about the parade was that parking during it is NUTS. But today I got there for the program as people were leaving and found a stall nice and close to the front of the school, which is very helpful when I've got 3 kids in tow. So again, yay. Sophi did a good part singing and on her part. She seems to be a natural performer. She's second row, 3rd from the right

Daniel, do you like the performance? I think that's a yes!

Actually that's just the face he does to mimic me when I'm telling him my face to "smile big for the camera!" This is his normal smile face when he's not imitating me.

Cute boy. Sophi was a one legged pirate! Corey's parent's came. It's always nice to see them. I hope I can support my grandchildren in their performances like they have done for our kids. But we'll see... maybe since I don't love trying to get to all the performance now, I better not commit myself for later! But maybe it will be easier when I'm just getting myself there and not toddler with me. I hope it's easier.

Tonight - pizza at the neighbor's house is a tradition everyone enjoys. So much so that they all ran over there without me getting a picture. I did get one of Daniel. He was a vampire.

And he's all ready to go get candy.

It was suuuuper cold this year, so there wasn't a lot playing and waiting outside. After the kids were done eating pizza, they headed out, so we had kids in lots of different groups. I did snap a picture of them as they came by our house - Lily and her friend Isa

Natalie with Berkley and Berkley's little sister, I can't remember her name.

Abi went with her Jr high friends, but they took off before I had a chance to see them, but Abi was a slice of bread with jelly. The older boys didn't go gathering treats but they were coming and going hanging out with friends and watching movies.

Owen came back from pizza ready to go, but then he saw our caulderon of candy and was like "Well hey! We've already got some!" and he kicked off his boots and threw off his gloves and coat, and I

"Who needs to go do all that work?!?!" Hey Owen, that works for me.

I almost got out of it entirely except Sophi wanted to go out, Corey was going to take her, but he felt sick, so I took her out. Daniel had been enjoying candy from home with Owen, but when he saw me leaving he said "I want to come!" and I said ok since he still had his coat and shoes on.

We went around our neighborhood one time. I think they might have gone longer except it was so cold.

Daniel was scared of some of the decorations

"Dat Scary!"

Sophi is pretty low key, so when Daniel said he was done, she was ok to be done too. We went to the Jensen's house for root beer floats.

We were glad to take a break to warm up. And then we went home and watched Harry Potter and the Socerer's Stone. We don't have a candy policy this year. I don't want any, so I'm not going to make them donate some to a central candy stockpile or anything. We'll probably just let them eat it, and I'm pretty sure they won't be rationing it out themselves, so they'll probably all binge on it for the next 48 hours and then it will be gone.